crafting is oh so fun

I spent a little time crafting with my mother-in-law this weekend.

I've never considered myself very creative, I still don't, but who doesn't love a little paint?

I remember as a kid doing craft workshops. The finished product never looked quite the way I hoped, but I always enjoyed myself regardless. 

These days it's a little harder to have patience with all the imperfections, but it's a fun way to spend time with your loved ones. 

I also believe exercising creativity is a great way to push myself, since I don't feel it comes very naturally. I always feel so proud of myself when I finished, just like I'm a little girl again.

Zane is always encouraging me to do more things like this, and I've begun noticing more and more how strongly the LDS church encourages "creating" as well.
I love this message from Elder Uchtdorf.

There are a million ways to be creative. I admire my friends who dance, all the amazing writers on the blogs I follow, my incredibly talented aunt who created my whole wedding, my uncle who excels in photography, my sisters various musical talents. I envy, and appreciate, all those talents, and expressions of creativity.
My little crafts are just one outlet that I can do, and that I've come to enjoy.

My favorite part about these little projects, is in the end, they help make our little home feel more and more like a warm, welcoming place to be; something I've always valued. 

Zane and I love living here in Utah with our families,

this place will always be extra special to us. 

Our door was looking a little bare. 

I've been wanting to add a little something for while now, 

I thought an O, for O'Gwin would be perfect.  

For those of you who live around here, I buy all my crafts from The Wood Connection in American Fork. They have the cutest ideas, I always want to walk out of there with 5 different projects. 

I hope with practice, I grow more confident, and become more comfortable

 with different ways to be creative. 

bye-bye bri

This has been a weeks of weeks. Much too busy for my taste, and much too emotional for Zane's, and anyone else who had the pleasure of interacting with me.

Work managed to be rather busy, and painfully slow, at the same time.
It was the last week of school before finals, meaning punishment for all my procrastination.
My sister leaves for her internship in California tomorrow, thus my hand-crafted [and extremely thoughtful] gift had to be finished today.
And the cherry on top, my special lady time of the month making me cry 4 times a day over the stress of it all. I also may have shed a few tears because of replies to text messages being too slow, and wrong pizza toppings.

In the end, I pulled it all off.
Homework assignments are turned in, and Bri's book of Love Letters is completed.

Essentially, I had a bunch of Bri's friends, and family, write her a letter as a goodbye gift before she left for Conan. [She's interning at the Conan O'Brian show, I know, she's totally cool.]
After sucking up all of my crafty juices, and destroying my home, I finally compiled them into a scrapbook-like gift.

My home has looked like this for days.

The letters look a little something like this. 

She loved it!  

Tears were shed, not from me for the first time in weeks. Though I cried many touched tears while working on the project. 

It turned out pretty perfect, if I do say so myself. 

I really want to thank everyone who took the time to write something for Bri. So many sweet words were said, and there was never a more deserving person. 

It meant so much to me, and even more to Bri. So a HUGE thank you to anyone and everyone who contributed.

I love my sister very much, and will surely miss having her around this summer. 

She's an essential piece to the family puzzle, and it won't be the same without her.

Thank goodness the week is over. 

I'm looking forward to enjoying some sun, love, emotional stability, and maybe a bit of sanity.

girly saturday

The O'Gwin boys went to a gun show Saturday afternoon, so my mother-in-law treated me and my sister Caitie to a day at Gardner Village and The Wood Connection.
Which if you didn't already know, is where Pinterest dreams come true.

Apparently I have been living under a Utah Valley rock. I had no clue these fine places existed.
And if you have been living under the same rock, I suggest you click the links above and have yourself a girly adventure this weekend.

I walked away with a polka-dot scarf, and a Valentines craft. Success.

And I am officially addicted to crafting. Which just makes me the perfect LDS stereotypical wifey, all I need is some casserole baking know-how, and a baby on my hip.

Gardener Village with Miss Caitie. 

my adorable craft, if I do say so myself!

I've never actually had a lot of faith in my craftiness. Scrap-booking has been an epic fail. 

But I think I am going to get along with wood and modge-podge just fine. 

Pictures of my craft successes to come. I hope. 

Gosh. Blogging about crafting... if you weren't already wondering why you read this blog, I bet you are now. 

Bare with me, something brilliant is bound to come out sooner or later.